Tibetan Gau

[Battara]

Greetings,

Here is a Tibetan Gau, a portable and wearable shrine.

This one has a case made of repoussed silver and turquoise. On either side is a silver roll where cord would go through for hanging and wearing.

Inside it contains 3 things:

1. an old hand made paper with Tibetan script on both sides. The ink is silver.

2. a small tangka (painting) of what I think is Mahakala, a protector deity in Tibetan Buddhism (also in Hindu and Sikh faiths). It is quite worn.

3. a small pressed clay stone with 10 Buddha sitting figures, perhaps the 10 disciples of the Buddha. Each is has their right hand in the mudra position pointing to Earth.

Any other help would be helpful.

Enjoy!

[colin henshaw]

Looks a nice old Gau, congratulations.

There was an interesting exhibition in the Cambridge Museum of Archaeology and Anthropology (England), a couple of years ago, on Tibetan Art & Culture. Additionally, a useful catalogue was published entitled "Buddha's Word, the life of Books in Tibet and Beyond", with a chapter on Gau amulets. Seemingly they would sometimes be worn in battle, as they were thought to render the wearer invunerable... :)

[Battara]

Thank you Collin. I may look this up. I am curious about these and other Tibetan items, especially ritual weaponry.

[silberschatzimsee]

http://www.bonhams.com/auctions/23739/

The first few items. I just saw them a few days ago and was thinking what could have that been for and now I saw this thread :)